(Credit: ©Visual Eye)
It is my pleasure to introduce the seventh edition of The House magazine’s Women in Westminster: The 100.
Each year, the list provides an opportunity to reflect on the contribution women continue to make across Westminster and to recognise those whose work over the past year has had a tangible and lasting impact on public life.
The 100 brings together women from across politics and public service: parliamentarians and peers, journalists, civil servants, campaigners, think tankers and public affairs professionals. Their roles are varied, but they share a commitment to public service and a willingness to lead – often in complex, high-pressure environments and often without recognition. Women in Westminster exists to pause, take stock and acknowledge that work.
As ever, the list has been selected by our board of Patrons from a wide range of nominations. The process is rigorous and the discussions are thoughtful, reflecting not only what has been achieved over the past year, but the influence these women have had on those around them – in shaping debate, improving policy and strengthening the institutions in which they work. Narrowing such a remarkable field down to one hundred is never easy and I am hugely grateful to my fellow Patrons for the care they bring to this process. I am also pleased to welcome a new Patron this year, Jaee Samant, Director General of Business Group at the Department for Business and Trade.
While there is much to celebrate, Women in Westminster has always been about more than recognition alone. It is also about visibility and inspiration. Women’s achievements in politics and public service are too often under-acknowledged, and too many talented women still face barriers to progression and representation.
Importantly, The 100 also looks forward. Representation matters not only for those working in Westminster today, but for those who may consider it in the future. When young women see others shaping policy, leading teams and influencing national debate, politics becomes less abstract and more accessible. It becomes a place where their skills and ambitions might belong.
I hope this year’s Women in Westminster: The 100 offers both recognition and reassurance: recognition of the work done over the past year and reassurance to those following that there is space for them, too.
You can view the full The 100 on the WiW website or read our publication here.
